Youth Coding Initiative

Unlocking the career code.

High school student Geraldine Agredo is on the path to becoming a computer scientist thanks to Girls Who Code, an Adobe Youth Coding Initiative partner.

The need for diversity

As our lives continue to be influenced by technology, the need for programmers is critical. By 2020, the U.S. Department of Labor predicts that 1.4 million jobs will be created in computing related fields, but U.S. graduates are only on pace to filling 29% of them. A recent study by the National Science Foundation tells us that 64% of the science and engineering workforce in the United States is made up of white or Asian males; 27% are white, Hispanic or black females; and 7% are black or Hispanic males.

Highlighting computer science as a career choice

Adobe is focused on diversifying the talent pool by highlighting the creative and collaborative aspects of computer science to female and minority youth. Through our partnerships, we amplify the excitement of creating a software program that finds a new or better way of doing something. Our goal is to connect with youth who never thought of themselves as computer scientists, and open their minds to the possibilities of this career choice.